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The Cubs may have tempted fate at Wrigley Field this year by replacing the old brick wall behind home plate, adding advertisements to the center-field scoreboard, moving the flag bearing left fielder Billy Williams' retired number to the right-field pole and issuing red jackets to the ushers. Everything seemed out of place during a bone-chilling home opener Monday, including the unfamiliar sight of Greg Maddux getting his hat handed to him in a 13-2 loss to Pittsburgh. Maddux characteristically declined to blame the frigid, windy conditions, his mechanics or the emotion of the moment for his bad-hair day at Wrigley. "A perfect day to pitch," he said. "I didn't...

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The Cubs may have tempted fate at Wrigley Field this year by replacing the old brick wall behind home plate, adding advertisements to the center-field scoreboard, moving the flag bearing left fielder Billy Williams' retired number to the right-field...

Baseball is back at Wrigley Field. Things are different from last year. The Cubs and the World Series are being talked about in the same sentence. There are new seats behind home plate that cost $250 for prime dates. Greg Maddux is starting for the...